From the Outside, Looking In
by silvery nekojin
Summary: When a new character starts causing trouble for the Inuyasha and Yu Yu groups, how would his sister react? It's better than it sounds! IY YYH
1. Art for Money

From the outside, looking in. 

By: Silver Neko 

**A/N: Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, Yu Yu Hakusho, or any products, movies, or other things mentioned in this fic. Please don't sue me, I'm too young to pay for a lawyer. **

Me? I'm new at this, so please don't flame me too badly unless I really deserve it. I welcome constructive criticism, but there is a line. If the characters are slightly out of character, please remember the point of view I'm using for this- a neko-youkai's perspective may be a bit skewed. Please, Tell me if this comes out well- I have no outline, just wanted to write out a funny little scene. If you like it, please review. Oh, yeah. Rated for some cursing, maybe some sexual references later on. That's about it. Thanks. 

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I have some of the weirdest ideas sometimes, even for a neko. Honest. I am going to go to school, in a place where I barely know the language. Why? It's not like I need much human knowledge to survive- even around most humans. Hell, half of the humans I've encountered don't have very much human knowledge. But I was so curious... Why do humans bother with such a stupid system? What happens in those big old buildings? 

Why do such hot guys endure a building like that? 

So, the last question really gave me a motive. Can I help it? I'm a neko, and youkai are rare, anymore. I can have my fun, can't I? An-y-wa-ay... I need money. I need a lot of money, because I don't have any living relatives who would be willing to pay for things like trips, or tuition, or anything like that. Also, the living ones are all back in the States, where I'd started school just long enough to get transferred. I'd always wanted to go see Japan- there's such history there, y'know? And they have a better school system anyway, as far as I'm concerned. With more youkais, might I add. 

Oh, what's a neko, you ask? It's a neko-youkai, honestly, or cat-demon. I just happen to take on a human form most often. I usually have black fur and black fuzzy ears on my head and a cat's tail, even in human form, but I have a concealing spell for those unfortunate un-transformable parts of me. At least, I haven't figured out how to transform them out. 

You'd probably see me as a human like the ones I grew up around, but prettier. I can be greedy, no? I normally have long, black hair, so I kept that. The eyes just have normal pupils instead of cat ones, and I wear long, black outfits, to remove some of the strain holding an illusion up for a day gives. There's white skin, so I don't stand out so much. I shorten my canines, in this illusion. The tail is hidden. I tried to just disguise it as a belt or something, but it gives away my emotions, which is not good for an inanimate object like a belt. So it, and my ears, are invisible. 

I look pretty damn good for a hundred-year-old. Then again, for my race, at least, I'm just getting to the start of the best part of my life. Yay! Rah, Rah, Rah! Go me! Now, back to the point. 

I needed money. I have only four real talents. Three of them would get me in trouble with human laws, and besides, I have a bit too much self-respect to perform the first two where I could get money for them. The last one was art. I admit, it's hardest to get money there, but there was no chance of being punished, a low chance of being humiliated, and, if I did it right, I could rake in a rather generous sum of money. This is always good, since sometimes I'm just too lazy to chase down my prey. 

I seem to leave the subject quite a bit, don't I? At any rate, returning to my subject, I was at a fair. Not at a freak show, since that is also degrading, and besides, that's what concealing spells are good for. I was giving out those paint-on tattoos that seem to be a feature of many carnivals. For a fee, of course. What do you take me for? A charity? 

I have a fairly good talent with these things, so I can give out tigers and roses, along with clown- and cat-faces. Children and adults come by alike, and I was pulling in that good profit I mentioned. But this is when I ran into a problem. You see, sometimes, the adults who come by aren't happy about paying up for their kids or something. I don't want to be kicked out, so I generally just ask them to leave with enough prescence behund the request to intimidate them. They usually take off at some fairly high speeds. 

This had worked all day, but as the day wears down, some of my customers begin to grumble about being out of money. I generally pack up right about now, but there are just four more potential customers here, waiting in line, unlike the corpse-on-the-feet crowd around us. 

One's obvious trouble, a street tough who may or may not pay me. He probably won't intimidate easily, either, but right after him are a cute couple who will definitely pay up if I ask nicely. Sure, the girl has a strange aura and seems to see through my concealing spell, and the guy smells of inu-youkai, but if he's willing to carry those huge plushies for the strange girl, who isn't yelling at a youkai, even a hanyou like mutt-face there, I'm happy. Apparently, though, mutt-face and their kitsune-kit have never heard of concealing spells, and both wear hats. Can't be comfortable. 

The tough guy demands a symbol, a skull and crossbones, on his right arm. Pretty typical of a customer like that. What really irks me is that he threatens to hurt me if I don't give it to him free. He doesn't scare at a show of prescence, at least, not enough to run away. The couple's kitsune-kit, adoptive, of course, is watching, so how can I possibly respond to a threat like that? I shoot a look at the kit before carefully choosing my wording. 

"How about I give you this tattoo, and we can discuss payment after, hmm?" Is it just me, or does he look like a cub in a sweet-shop? And what's with the staring? Oh, who cares? My paws are already itching to steal his pockets clean, just in payment. The instant he isn't watching my paws, I'm going to strike, I swear. Instead, I start on the tattoo, keeping it very simple. 

As I'm starting on the skull, it occurs to me that the comment I'd used had some distinct sexual connotations. Damn. Human minds can be twisted- I just meant that I wanted to give him a discount, say, 25% off? 

"Why you little thief!" He yelled, about halfway through. Apparently, that paw wasn't as un-watched as I thought. Uh-oh... 

Think, Shadow, think. How do you get out of a situation like this one? Oh, of course. I hate to use the cute couple like that, but if I don't, I'll have to expose myself. Thanks, but no thanks. 

I pretend to just now notice the hanyou. "Hi, brother! Glad you could show after all! Could you take care of this? I just have to stretch my muscles." Poor hanyou. He's about to take my place for a beating. 

It just now occurs to me that the kit will still have to witness some violence, now. Worse, it's the kit's adoptive dad. Why didn't I think of that before? Oh, well. 

I dodge the thief who called me a thief as he throws a punch, neatly sidestepping it and replacing his target with the hanyou. I'm pretty sure I hear him go, "What the hell?!" as I walk off, whistling a cheerful tune as I hear a plushie take the hit, then I disappear into the crowd as the girl begins to recover from the whole mess exploding like that. The kitsune already did, he's struggling to follow me, pulling himself out of his "mother's" arms. 

Good luck catching me, kid. I cover my scent with the humans around me, and walk slowly. There's a crowd already gathering around the fight behind me, and all of my money is securely in a pocket. I'm one happy little neko as the shop closes. 

But maybe I shouldn't ever do business with that particular carnival again. 

Ever. 

One more month until school starts, and I can continue to figure out this mystery. Good thing I got all the money I needed from today's haul. 

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A/N: As you can probably guess, I have at least a few chapters in the works for my character. It's a weekend, so I'll probably get chapter two up soon. Like, after I write it. Hmm... Please review! Is it too short? Should I change or add pairings? Huh? Huh, huh? 

My beta-reader-type-person pointed out an inconsistency. Why is she referring to herself as a youkai? That's Japanese, and she's born in the states. Truth-told? Iunno. I shall figure this out and maybe write up a reason in later chapters. I shan't interfere with your reading pleasures by putting these in the fic itself, just so you know. I find mid-fic A/N's annoying as anything I've ever seen. Till next time! 


	2. Starting School

From the outside, looking in. 

By: Silver Neko 

**A/N: Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, Yu Yu Hakusho, or any products, movies, or other things mentioned in this fic. Please don't sue me, I'm too young to pay for a lawyer. **

Wow! I got my very first review! And it wasn't even a flame! Thank you so much Mija! I shall answer (maybe) some questions my beta-type-reader-person asked me. Or not. Please read and review thank you so much! Please don't flame, but I welcome constructive criticism I do I do! 

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I'm looking at this book in front of me blankly, trying to translate the words I am reading. I'm sorry, written languages never were my strongest suit. And besides, I had been experiencing a really different history when that was happening- My home was being moved into by more and more humans, and I was barely old enough to do a small concealing spell to hide from the murderous (not to mention Christian) humans. I think I may have been slightly delusional when I came up with the idea to go to school. 

This past week has been absolutely full of surprises. I came home completely drained every day this week, thanks to some stupid regulation that I have to wear this Sailor suit outfit they call a uniform. So much bare skin to cover up with my spells. And the worst part? My spells are being worn away at by a certain priestess-wannabe I could name. She's called Kagome, and I seem to be spending all of my time dodging her, and all of the questions dancing on her tongue. I have both Japanese history and English with her, and the only empty seat was right next to her in both. Needless to say, dodging this girl's questions is about to drive me crazy. And that pretty little round and pink jewel... It radiates so much power, I'm surprised that the _normal_ humans don't see it. My paws are absolutely itching to steal it, just thinking about it. Uncomfortable questions keep me from doing so. Where's her kit? The hanyou mutt-face? I honestly can't say. 

At least I'm not alone in being a transfer student, although this particular group of people aren't half as lost as I am, because Japanese is their native language. Strange that they're all guys, But one of them is... *gasp* a youkai! I only have art with him, but that's okay by me. It's almost like he's not even wearing a concealing spell... like the silver kitsune I'm seeing every now and then is actually another part of our redheaded cutie. Personally, I prefer his silver look... He has such a beautiful.. Erm... tail! That's the word I was looking for. Tail. It's really too bad he's not the one in history and English, instead of the girl. Then again, it's probably best. He probably has questions to rival hers. Ugh. Unfortunately, there's at least one of them in every class I have. The worst part? I'm almost always stuck next to this orange-haired freak, who keeps staring at me. I've caught him, several times. In the classes where his brown-haired friend are with him, he gets an elbow in the gut, and the other guy whispers something about a "Yukina." 

It's barely the weekend- why do they have school on Saturdays? Today's Sunday, and I'm cooped up in this little shoebox of an apartment, doing homework. I've had to 'borrow' money for my rent quite a few times. I'm a good neko, honest! I only steal from the people who have enough to spare. And then, I only steal enough yen to keep ahead of my rent on the barely-used room. I generally hide out in this wooded area, just outside the city. The wooded area is frequented by this really annoying reptile hanyou, who I generally try to avoid. Just because I'm good at fighting doesn't mean I want to have to stave off some brute like that. 

Ugh... I have no concealing spell on today, the door is locked, and I am pretending there is no one alive in this room. I have a suspicion I'm being watched through the window by... something... with a distinctly black aura, but I'm about to take a catnap, and my homework be damned. I seem to have forgotten that my spirit energy was as limited as it is, and I need to replenish it. Maybe I'll just forget about that assignment. I doze off without even thinking about it, and I'm in dream land. 

********Dream Land******** 

I'm a cub again, maybe ten. I'm looking up at my mom, a silvery neko-youkai, and I ask her, "What's a youkai? Why do those new people hate our real-forms so much? What are they?" I was a curious little cub, even then. I still had my silvery markings, then, because I was still a truly happy cub. If I'd only known what would happen that day, I could have told them... I could have saved them, maybe. In my mind, I'm screaming for my younger-self and my mother to leave, go back to our home. But they don't listen, they keep on walking. 

My mom pauses as she's walking, and smiles, kneeling down to my height to answer my question. "A youkai is a very special being, who is stronger than the average person. A youkai has all the power to take care of themselves, and they can take care of their family. The truest, closest translation I can give you is that it's a spirit. Your new friends, the ones you meet when I hide your true form from them, are humans, and they have... a very different name for our kind. They would call us demons. I want you to promise me never to walk among them in your true form, Gwenhwyvar, my shadow. Can I ask that of you?" She looked intently into my eyes as she elicited that promise from me. I had really wanted my friends to know my true form, and I didn't know what was so bad about a "demon." 

My mother was not one to be denied. Eventually, she got the promise from me, willing, understanding, or not. I was unhappy about it, but she was my mother. Her ears twitch suddenly as we both hear a noise. "Shadow? I want you to run. Go home, and get your father to leave there. We'll be moving again." This was a phrase I'd heard many times, and it almost broke my heart to hear it. "Goodbye, Shadow. I'll see you again, soon." 

I took off running, whispering my goodbye around a lump in my throat behind. She smiled one last time, as if she heard me, and I continued running, turning my head away from her. There was a loud boom, my mother screamed once, and I never saw her again. I can only assume she knew. I kept on running, even after I felt the prescence I'd come to think of as "Mom" fade, even after all of my heart wanted to keen its anguish to the world, I kept running. Finally, I reached my home, and, before I could relive the sight that greeted me, I woke, panting, and frightened. 

********Dream Land******** 

I blinked the tears out of my eyes before I could soak the book with my tears. I had fallen asleep on my homework, and I began working on it, after scrubbing my eyes, ignoring the twillight darkness that had crept up on me when I was sleeping. The sight was of my father, shot and bleeding. He had told me, also, to run, and that both he, and my mother, loved me, very much, and would meet again, someday. I left his giant, charcoal black cat form behind, and I had run all the way until I found my aunt, a crafty, witty neko, with dazzling golden eyes, and she taught me the concealing spells, where my parents had taught me to transform. She taught me all I needed to know, really. How to fight, basic math, how to read English. I had loved her, and she loved me, and completely supported my curiousity. She helped me get on with my life, but there was always that gaping hole where my family had been, and all of my silver markings had turned black. I was no longer truly happy, and my golden, lion-like aunt, knew this. She let me go, to a place where there would be no reminders of my family. I learned all of my odd skills on the streets of my new home, and I eventually went to school. When I heard about a transfer program, where I would go to a different country for school for a few years, I jumped at the chance. Everything about this "America" reminded me of my family, even ninety years later. 

Back in reality, I blink as I realize that true night has come, my homework is done, and that black aura that was watching me was long gone, off to someplace outside the range of my senses. Fine with me. I'm too tired to need a case of paranoia to keep me from my sleeping. Emoting like that, and after all this week of dodging questions and using spells constantly is enough to drain just about anyone, so I decide to go back to sleep- true sleep, in a bed this time. I pray that I won't have any phantoms of the past haunting me. I need my sleep. 

*******The Next Day******* 

My invisible watcher came back last night, but I don't care. I pull on the sailor suit, chanting the words to my concealing spell as I do so, and eating a ham sandwich with my free paw between phrases. I've done this before- last Monday, and exactly in the same way. I don't usually wake up at dawn, so my internal alarm tends to hit snooze, and I will end up nearly missing school. Let my invisible watcher think what he will, I'm in too much of a hurry to run at a normal human's pace. I jump out the third story window and land nimbly, running off towards the school, taking just about any means to do so. I am suddenly stopped as I slam head-first into the redheaded guy. I look up at him, slightly dazed. He offers me a hand, as if being run into by a neko going at 60 miles per hour is a normal occurance. I get the feeling silver, who is hiding just behind the redhead's eyes, is laughing his metaphorical head off at me. I accept his offer, mumbling my thanks, a blush speading over my spelled features. My tail would be hanging down in embarassment, if anyone could see it. I take off at full tilt after re-adjusting my backpack, before the kitsune can ask me any questions or anything. 

I reach the school, the last of my embarassment fading as I walk to my locker. I re-adjust my hair with the miniature locker-mirror I'd bought, put in the books I don't need and grab what I need for the first couple of classes. I walk into art right as the bell rings. Somehow, red/silver still managed to beat me there. Go figure. The teacher walks in right after I do, and soon he gives us our assignment, after taking roll. "Class, today we will be doing portraits. I will pair you off, and you will draw the person I pair you off with as closely as you can manage. I realize that your drawing may not be good, but save it, like all of the other work. It'll be useful later." 

I wait to be paired up with someone, possibly the only girl in the whole room who was thinking _Please, don't pair me up with red, there. Please._ Of course, I still don't know what red/silver's name is, unlike some of the obsessive girls I've seen. They probably know everything about him, right down to his Social Security number. Naturally, I'm paired up with the single person I could wish on any of those obsessive girls. "Gwena, you'll be paired with Shuuichi." I look around at all the girls glaring at me and wonder who this Shuuichi could possibly be. 

Shuuichi? Who the... I realize red is the only person other than me who isn't paired up with anyone, and I get a cold sensation right in the pit of my stomach, like I just swallowed all the ice in an entire bag. Just my luck. "Um... hello, Shuuichi..." I say, probably looking for all the world like a little cub with my hand caught in the cookie jar. 

Shuuichi is surprisingly nice about the whole thing, and acts like I wasn't the neko who ran over him just half an hour ago. "Please, miss, call me Kurama. My friends do." Okayyyyyyyyy.... Why? Why does red need a third name? Shuuichi doesn't sound like a kitsune name... 

"Okay... Kurama. Well... I suppose we should start drawing- everone else seems to have a head start." I say this as I open a large-ish notebook and pick up my mechanical pencil. He already has his open, and looks for all the world like I stole the words right out of his mouth. 

He's sitting across the table from me, and is drawing intently. I, on the other hand, seem to be erasing every few minutes. He notices this, much to my embarrasment, and asks me about it. 

"What seems to be the matter? Maybe I could help." 

"Ah... It's nothing, I just have some trouble- It's nothing." I was finding it increasingly difficult to draw red, not silver. He's... I dunno how to call it. Flickering, I guess. It's beginning to drive me insane, but I'm not even supposed to know about silver, I bet. Damn, it's confusing, though. 

"Trouble with what? You're moving so much that it's making you hard to draw." 

"Ah... why do you do that? It's starting to really distract me..." 

Silver looks just about as confused as red. "Do what, Gwena?" 

"Flicker like that. It's really distracting, and silver there looks different than you-" I shut up- I'd been gradually getting quieter as I'd said this. 

Now silver looks like he was hit with a board, and red hardly looks much better. "How do you... How can you see him?" 

I'd thought that little could faze the two there. "What? Can't a kitsune like silver is see what I am?" I whispered, uncertainly. "Am I not supposed to know about silver? I'm sorry..." 

"..." He looks like he's about to answer, but fortunately for me, the bell rings, and I'm out of there at about the upper limits a human could reach for speed, putting my stuff for art where it was supposed to go, and snatching everything that was really-truly mine at the same speed. I yelled *'Bye, Kurama!* at him, but with my mind, unlike any normal human could. 

The next class is Japanese history, and the girl is, fortunately, sick. Thank God. I'm not at all sure if I can deal with both Kagome and Kurama. I'm being watched by that black prescence again, and orange-hair is oogling me. I swear, if he keeps it up, I will hurt him. Severely. And then wipe my claws on his bloody carcass. Where in the nine hells is orange-hair's brown-haired counterpart? I thought he had this class with me, too. I growl at orange-hair. He seems surprised. Must remember that. Or am I pulling a flickering act just like silver? God help me, but I hope I'm not. Wait. No one else is even looking sideways at me. Hel-lo... So weird. 

I endure Japanese history to the best of my ability then tackle Japanese. Mister brown-hair-with-a-green-uniform has yet to make an appearance. I do believe he's ditched. Thankfully, orange-hair-conformist takes the hint and stops oogling me. 

I take English, next. Kagome is still absent, thank God. 

After that, algebra. I don't like math, I would rather not be in algebra, but there it is. Somehow, some way, I was placed in algebra. Not even general math, which is easier, but algebra. Why me. Orange-hair insists on looking at me, even when I growl at him. God, where is his friend? The one who hits him in the gut? This guy is giving me the creeps! I'll just try to ignore him... 

Somehow I endure the staring guy. Now, I have lunch. I'm almost terrified that orange-hair will decide to sit next to me. Why does this guy insist on stalking me? I'd even welcome Kurama's or Kagome's questionings right now! 

Almost like I'd summoned him, Kurama is sitting next to me. I am now recieving all the glares of every girl in the entire school. Why? Why me? Why am I being glared at? Oh, right. Because a hot guy like Kurama is even looking at me, not them. If they only knew what silver looked like... 

Which brings me to my turn at the questioning wheel, apparently. "Why are you sitting by me? There's plenty of fangirls there who would be absolutely dying for your prescence, you know." I snicker a bit, a terribly bad image of Kurama being submerged under a giant pile of all the girls in the school. This is amusing enough that I forget that he's sitting next to me, presumably about to ask me all sorts of uncomfortable questions. 

"What's so funny? I hear there are quite a few guys who wouldn't mind your prescence, either." I blush, and growl at him some. This guy didn't normally show any emotion whatsoever, and that comment was made so completely devoid of emotion, you could almost think he was commenting about the weather. Unfortunately, I notice orange-hair staring at me, and vow to beat him to a bloody pulp during gym. But he'd probably like that. Go figure. 

I think I'm being glared at by just about every female in this entire school district. If looks were knives, I would most assuredly be sliced into ribbons and used to tie their hair. Disgusting thought, but there it was. 

"Yeah, whatever. Anyway, why are you sitting here, and not with your fangirls? I've heard rumors of a club." Another disturbing image- a large, wooden club sporting the words "Shuuichi Minamino Fan Club"* being used to hit Kurama in the back of the head, and some triumphant girl carrying him off like a bag of ice or something. I suppress my laughter here. 

Red and silver both look slightly panicked. "Really?" 

"I've only hear rumors, mind you. Now, tell me, why are you sitting here and not near any of them?" I demand, patience wearing thin. 

"Partly, I'm hiding from the girls you mentioned, but mostly, I'm curious." Oh, great. Here it comes. "Who are you? I can tell you're a neko-youkai, but most of them are either dead, or very conspicuous. Usually both. Since you're not dead, and you're not conspicuous, I don't know anything about you. Another thing: Most youkai I've run into have heard of me, well, know me on sight, more like, yet you don't even know who Youko is, and you've been seeing 'flickers' of him for how long now?" I wonder if he's ever been curious about anything- when he wasn't especially curious about me, I noticed that he wasn't exactly what one would call talkative. 

"Well, yeah, I'm a neko-youkai, but I lived in the United States for a long, long, time. And I'm not exactly conspicuous because being conspicuous there generally results in being impaled by religious fanatics. Thanks, but no thanks. And now that I think about it... I may have heard of a kitsune named Youko... He was a great thief, right?" I'm really stretching my memory here, Mom only told me legends from before our family moved across the Atlantic, which was long before I was born. Naturally, I don't know very much about this. 

"I don't suppose you've heard of a 'Shikon no Tama,' then?" He asked, hopefully. Wow, I'm reading him better. 

"Shikon no whatsa? Nope, I'm afraid I haven't. Why?" Now _I_ was curious. That happens a lot. But it wasn't a stupid curiousity that was bound to kill a very specific cat, it was just a naieve one. 

"Shikon no Tama. And there's no reason." I'm guessing there really was a reason, but damn if I knew what it was. I gave up and ate the food I had packed. (If you guessed ham sandwich, you win a prize. Have a ham sandwich! No, I don't like them, but I can't cook anything else.) 

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**A/N: Okay, there it is. Chapter two is officially done. I don't like leaving people with cliffhangers, did you notice? Also, I'm trying to write longer chapters. Did you notice that? Also... Is it just me, or are there a shocking amount od IYxYYH fics out there? Well... probably just me. But it does seem to be the most common for either one. Probably because it's easy to picture a crossover. See? Why I picked it for my first fic. **

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* Special thanks to Mistress of the Sword's Feelings For a Fox, a really good story, for the idea of a fan club, and for a last name for Shuuichi. 

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Please review! Thank you! 


	3. Questions and Appearances

From the outside, looking in. 

By: Silver Neko 

**A/N: Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, Yu Yu Hakusho, or any products, movies, or other things mentioned in this fic. Please don't sue me, I'm too young to pay for a lawyer. **

Wow! More review-ness! Thank you so much! The apparent Kuwabara-bashing is entirely for two reasons. One) I don't like him. Two) My character doesn't like him. Sorry to any Kuwabara fans. But I don't like him. Please read and review thank you so much! Please don't flame, but I welcome constructive criticism I do I do! 

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I look around the corner, then check behind me. Orange-hair, who said his name was Kuwabara when he asked me on a *gag, choke, disgust noise here* date, seems to be nowhere around. I breathe a sigh of relief at this. The guy was getting more and more incessant about following me around, and I had already moved him up on my list of threats. He has finally hit the top. Right above my other stalker, who is just a vague sense of blackness in the back of my mind. He (she? it?) hasn't followed me around and asked me anything- I have yet to see my speedy little shadow, in fact. And the very, _very_ worst thing is, the only person Kuwabara seems to listen to is that Yusuke guy, who is also the only person that my shadow is _never_ present around. He has been absent for the past two weeks. On a lighter note, that Kagome girl is still gone, apparently suffering from skitzophrenia. Funny. This Sunday, I could swear I felt a really big power sweep through the city. Maybe it's related. Didn't figure her for the type to be crazy like that, anyway, although I only saw her for a week. I suppose she could be _just_ ditching with a more inventive excuse than Yusuke's. 

Hallelujah! I'm on that Yusuke's block! Now just go, and ask... and... 

"What's up, beautiful? So, you want to go on that date Sunday?" A very familiar, very smug, and very distinctly masculine voice comes from directly in front of me. Or where in front of me would have been, if I hadn't checked behind me. "Ah, I knew you couldn't resist." 

I grit my teeth and count backwards from ten. Slowly. In Spanish. How did I learn Spanish? I took the class, back in the States. I'm now counting backwards from 20. It's not working well. "Hello, Kuwabara." My tail twitches from alert-mode into attack-mode, a swishing, dangerous motion, for anyone who knows anything about cats, even though I haven't even turned around to look at him. "Don't you have some thugs to hang out with? Please? Or maybe you could go take a nap on a railroad. I hear there's still a train running through downtown." I ask, offering a subtle hint for him to please get lost. Naturally, he misses it. 

"You still haven't answered my question!" He replies, grinning like a loon, and still oh-so-smug about the situation- as if I would actually date a... _thing_ like him. Besides, before I grew up, I figured something out. The bigger predators can swallow the littler ones without even choking. I'm definitely the smaller predator, since I don't want to expose myself. Of course, I pity the poor soul who can't beat this crazy guy. I just don't want to expose myself, or get caught by a cop, or get caught by a teacher, or ruin his alleged 'reputation,' at which point I'd almost certainly be cornered into a fight, where I would have to expose myself, or look like a weakling. Neither choice is particularily appealing to me. 

I grit my teeth again, now counting down from a hundred. Someone, anyone, please grant me patience! "Kuwabara? May I ask you a question?" I ask, hoping he'd say yes, I could ask him a question. It looks like he'd say yes, even if I asked if I could use him as a punching bag. Not the brightest move, my stalker. 

"What do you want to know, my pretty?" Oooh flattery... I didn't think the brute had it in him! I think I may swoon! _Not._ Actually... he sounds suspiciously like one of the wicked witches on _The Wizard of Oz._ I swear, he's going to say, "I'll get you, my pretty! And your little dog, too!" at any minute. Like I'd actually own a dog, but still. I could imagine him taking on mutt-face the hanyou, though. 

"Who is Yukina?" I ask, hoping, praying, really, that this 'Yukina' is his girlfriend. His _current_ girlfriend. One who has a _damn_ good hold on him. Please tell me that they're at least engaged. Better, maybe she's his older sister, whom has incredibly high standards for her brother that I will be certain I don't live up to. 

"Oh... Ahh... Yukina. Right. Um... Yeah." He seems to be remembering who this 'Yukina' is. Granted, I haven't seen anybody in this city named 'Yukina'- believe me, it's not for a lack of trying. 

Another male voice, probably taunting, possibly punk-ish, emerges from behind me. "Having any problems there, Gwena? Don't tell me, our local idiot has managed to corner you?" The guy is Yusuke Urameshi, the nice street punk who has a rein on my stalker, there. He always wears a green uniform, which basically means he doesn't conform to the school rules, unlike a certain stalker. Granted, I wear a black version of the uniform, so I guess I can't really say anything about that. Ah, who cares? 

"Damn you Urameshi! It's not like that!" Kuwabara yells, hurting my ears, which flatten instinctively. I let a low warning hiss escape. Yusuke laughs a bit, probably thinking that it really is exactly like that. 

"Yusuke? Thick-skull here never answered. Who's Yukina?" I ask, beginning to be frustrated. 

"Yukina is his girlfriend. There's some issues with that relationship, though. Don't feel too bad- Kuwabara here has a real thing for cats, y'know. And, you're at least as pretty as Yukina is, _and_ part cat, **_and_** without any demons who say you're not available to him. Irresistible combo for the moron." I blink a bit- how the _hell_ did he know I'm a neko-youkai? Unless... I frown as I check my concealment spell, prodding it. Then I check Yusuke and Kuwabara, and I feel like a total and complete idiot. Of _course._ Why, of all whys, hadn't I figured that one out? 

"Lovely. Tell me, why is it, all my life, and no one ever breaks my concealment spell, and one look from horse-head there, and it's like everyone knows what I am?" I ask, looking rather like a petulant cub again, and knowing it, and being even more sullen for it. 

"Ah... it's nothing, really. You're just dealing with a new breed of cat, with us, Gwena." I growl at the pun, and he laughs nervously. I stalk off, telling myself I will not rip his insolent little power-free head off. It's not like he knows that I'm probably stronger than him, and devoid of spirit energy like... that.... Hey wait. Don't most humans have at least a smidgeon of spiritual power? What's the deal? Unless... Oh, duh. Of course he can mask his power if I can. I'm not the strongest person out there. But he didn't smell like demon.... I'm pondering the little puzzle as I head off to the shoebox I live in. I put my hand on the door and start to pick the lock, pretty much oblivious to the black aura/scent that covers the hallway. I do that when I'm thinking- zone things out. But I'm sure having a very sharp, very cold, katana pressed to my throat really does the trick for waking me up, mister youkai. Honest! I'll install that burglar alarm today! 

"Who are you, and why do you want the jewel, cat?" What the...? Is today the national 'guess who's a neko-youkai in disguise' day? Or have I just really managed to screw up and piss someone off at me? Particularily since the youkai still has the nice katana pressed to my throat. Cheery little thing, ain't he? "I asked a question, cat." What? I'm a youkai, too, y'know! You don't have to sound so condescending! 

"Errr... two questions. If I answer wrong, I get beheaded, right?" He nods- the short little spiky-haired firecracker is in front of me, so I can see him nod. "Ah. Thought so. The second question is: What jewel?" I ask as I slowly back up from the psychopath with the lovely little sword. Scary! How did he get into my house? It was locked! I picked the lock! What happened to the key, I wonder. Come to think of it, it took twice as long to pick today. Oh well. The youkai looks rather disbelieving. 

"So you mean to tell me you're not the cat-thief after the Shikon no Tama, the jewel that can increase the holder's strength a hundredfold?" He smirks, practically expecting me to admit to it. Like I'd be that stupid, even with a short little firecracker who happens to have a really big knife that's just dying to kill me. Is it just me, or did that sound suspiciously like a pun? Or something. He puts the katana into its sheath at enough speed to encourage me not to do anything rash... like attack him or something. 

"Shikon no Tama? You mean that thing Kurama was curious about?" I ask, trying to piece together fragments of memory in their proper order. This school thing is really wearing my nerves. Ugh. 

"You know Kurama?" Apparently, he didn't shadow me at school. Lovely. So all I have to do is look out for fangirls with really big clubs at school. Erm... Back to subject, mind-of-mine. 

"So it's a really powerful jewel, huh..." **ARGH!** Why isn't this idiotic puzzle fitting together in my mind? I know I've seen something like it... But... Where? I get the feeling I should know what it is. "About... so big?" I ask, holding my fingers apart. The short youkai is glaring at me like I'm some sort of retard. It ain't my fault that my brain has stopped wanting to work! I'm being worn to a thread! Stupid school. 

"Yes, it's about that big. Now, have you seen it, or am I wasting my time?" Aha! Gotcha! I remember now! That Kagome girl! That's the one! She had that... that... Thingymabobber! The one with all the power! That she wore on her neck! I only saw her for about a week, and that was two weeks ago! It was definitely not enough to keep me remembering her well. But now I remember! Yeah! 

I think the firecracker-youkai caught a bit of my success in my eyes. After an outburst like that, I must have been shouting with my mind. Whoops. Fifty years of training and I'm still like that. Go figure. "What's so amusing?" Why is it being confused with amusement? I think his hand just twitched toward his sword. Scary. Did I insult him or something? I didn't mean to, honest! 

"Nothing- I just remembered where I saw something that matches the description! There's a girl named Kagome at my school. She has something that very closely matches that description- right down to its power. Hell if I know where she is now, though." I scratch the back of my head, thinking. Come to think of it, with how long she's been gone, and how much power that jewel-thing has, maybe there's something to the power wave I felt Sunday. How interesting. I may have just become curious. 

Then, another power wave- this less of a wave, more of a subtle _wrong_ feeling, and a jerking sensation. Then everything seemed inside out, and a tearing sensation as something that _shouldn't_ be there... suddenly was. I go all pale on my actual skin as I feel that, and my eyes go big. The little firecracker guy smirks. "What's wrong with you, cat?" 

"What!?! Can't you feel it you crazy little firecracker!" I snap, angrily. "Something just _happened!_ And I'm going to go see what, since it might have something to do with your idiotic jewel-thing!" I run out of the room, towards where the rip was at. What could _do_ that? Interesting question, and I'll have to ask it what it is, when I get there. I have a good head start on the little firecracker, but I guess he's really, really, really fast, because he's just behind me now. Interesting... Ack! The little firecracker guy passes me up, now! I stumble a bit as another wave hits, but this is a real wave, not another rip. Far off, I feel about four more rips hit almost simultaneously. But the biggest one is at... Higurashi Shrine, it reads. Isn't that... Isn't that where that Kagome girl lives? Maybe it's related to the jewel thing! I walk up to the weirdest scene. That Kagome girl is facing down a huge insect-like youkai with a bow and a quiver of arrows. Weird. I didn't think that she was in the archery club or something. The little firecracker is hesitating, probably fearing the wannabe priestess's power. Me, when I feel her aura, I don't blame him any. She feels.... _dangerous._ It's scary, honestly. If _that's_ what I could've been up against, I'm going to thank my shyness for keeping me alive, and not stealing pretty little jewels. My ears twitch as I hear mutt-face's very distinctive voice scream something like, "Tetsusaiga!!" Then there was a big flash of light, and the demon was no longer there. Nor was about fifty-some feet of ground. Apparently, mutt-face is good for something. I'm going to have to find out his real name- mutt-face is beginning to sound childish. There's more demons closing in on the shrine, and I switch to attack mode, sensing a fight is coming. 

I turn to the closest demon-aura- somewhere south of me- and ran off. Ooh. I didn't know Kuwabara had that much power- it's sorta-kinda radiating off of him, since he's not controlling it, and he's not fighting with it. Go figure. I think maybe I'm definitely going to have to help him out. I don't think he's quite strong enough of will to deal with two demons at that level alone, especially since he's a guy. I say 'demons' not youkai, for a ve-ery good reason. See, the other problem is that they were a pair of scantily-clad women with smallish horns on their temples and giant, leathery bats' wings. Also, they had long, sharp spines that ran down their backs. I mean, a person could get impaled on one of them, I swear. And to top it off, they were trying to entice Kuwabara. I mean, I don't like the crazy guy, but he's technically mine. Well, technically, he's Yukina's, then mine, but still! Just because I don't like the guy doesn't mean I'm going to let him get his soul stolen and taken off to hell! Stupid succubi. Before I really consider the possibility of getting impaled, I attack one of the succubi. It nicks me with a spine, but I get it with my claws. Weaklings. But they had been getting to him, which was evident in how he seemed to be about to yell at me or something. Well, at least I know he's just easily infatuated. Lucky me. Kuwabara seems to snap out of it, and gets the other one with this orange-ish sword-thingy. Weird. It's made of pure energy. This is also weird. Maybe Kuwabara isn't so terrible after all. Still, I wouldn't bet on Kuwabara in a fight against a real youkai, not some low level soul-snatcher. Whatever. 

The other auras blanked out shortly after my prey. I lick the little nick on my hand in annoyance as I walk back to the shrine. Looks like there's something _damned_ odd going on here. 

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**A/N: Whee! What d'ya think? I dunno about this chapter... It seems a bit short. No, this is not going to be a Kuwabara/Shadow fic. God, no. Just pointing out just how much judging people before you know what they're capable of can make you have to redecorate your mind. My character seems just a little bit... erm... opinionated. Lovely character. Wonder why I made her like that. Anyhow, what'cha think? Good? Bad? Otherwise? I only have so many marshmallows, so please don't flame me. I think Kuwabara is slightly (a lot) out of character. But hey. It was something moderately funny, and it made for an interesting chapter start. At least a little. **


	4. Twin?

**From the outside, looking in. **

**By: Silver Neko **

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**A/N: Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, Yu Yu Hakusho, or any products, movies, or other things mentioned in this fic. Please don't sue me, I'm too young to pay for a lawyer. **

**Wow! More review-ness! Thank you so much! I feel all warm and glowy inside! I have no idea why they haven't sensed it on Kagome. Maybe there's just a whole lot of power around- this is, apparently, the city where all the nice Japanese superheroes live. Why do they not interfere with each other more often, one wonders. Whatever... Please read and review- please, please, _please_ don't flame, but I welcome constructive criticism, that I do! I don't like charred marshmallows, and I can't make s'mores that fast, y'know. **

**It occurs to me that Kuwabara would never hit a girl, let alone attack one with his spirit sword. Even if she is a demon about to drag his immortal soul to hell. Meh. (Does that sound like... say... Kikyo? Maybe she's not Kikyo at all, but a succubi trapped in a clay pot body! Nah. Let the dead bitch stay dead. Please. "Your life belongs to me"? Geez, poor Kagome.) So, let's say he panicked. Or something. It was terribly thoughtless of me to make him so terribly out of character. Not that I like him. Go figure. **

**I present to you... Chapter four! **

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"So, let me get this straight," I say as I wrap one of Kagome's ace bandages around my paw-like hand, sitting in Kagome's guest room, having eaten Kagome's food. I'm in debt, now, I think. Kagome, herself, is going out to go make sure there are no more youkai or lowly demons, either, along with Inuyasha and Yusuke. Don't ask me where the firecracker or Kurama are. I couldn't tell you. Of course, now that Kuwabara is back to 'normal,' he's fawning over me like a personal slave. Interesting idea. Shippo, the kit, was going a mile a minute before Botan, the blue haired girl who feels like death warmed over to my othersenses, spoke up. I had given the kit a long-forgotten piece of candy, and he had gotten a sugar rush off of it. Who knew? Anyway. . . "There's a powerful demon in the Makai, who is trying to destroy the barrier entirely, then invade the human realms?" I'm ticking them off on my good paw- my damaged one seems to have been poisoned or something. It went numb. It's a really weak poison, though, if it is. When Botan nods, I continue. "And the worst part is that you don't even know who he is, you have no records of him, and you say that he's given your boss about a week to try and stop him from conquering the human world?" God, this sounds familiar. Why? Why's it sound familiar? Ah, hell. 

"Yes, that's it exactly!" Botan said. Geez. She's so happy. Maybe if she were the one in school, not me- bad Shadow! You can't just give up because you want to! So stop that! Still. The fate of Earth is at stake, and she's so.... hyper. Like she's had too much coffee. Or something. 

"And why are you telling me all of this? Shouldn't you tell that to the protector of this 'Shikon no Tama'? Seems to me, the one with acquire-able power like that would definitely be the one in danger. I'm just a lowly little neko-youkai." I like being left alone. I don't mind people, but I prefer hunting solo. And something tells me that something is going to happen here, and not just some youkai getting his ass kicked. 

"Well, yes, but she's out right now. When she gets back, she'll hear all of this, too. Why you're hearing this now, is that you're something of a problem. Youkai are supposed to be in the Makai, you see," I snorted a little, but deigned not to ask about the firecracker and fox-boy, let alone mutt-face and the kit, "and I'm probably going to have to take you back there." Back there? But I've never even been to the Makai, in the first place! It's complications like this that lead me to believe my fascination with strange people is like that curiousity that killed a certain black neko-youkai. Yeesh. 

"Still, if there wasn't a plan B, you would be shipping me off to the Makai now, right?" Botan nods a little. "So then what is it?" 

"Plan B is that you can join our group, for at least as long as this mission lasts. We have reason to believe that this new youkai is connected to you." I blanch a little. Me? No... couldn't be. He can't be... No! He isn't back, no way, no how. "You see, the youkai seems to look exactly like you. You could be his twin, in fact, right down to you aura. That's probably why Hiei attacked you like that. He seems to be very fond of being seen." 

"He always did have enough ambition for both of us. More than enough charm, for that matter. I just wanted to be normal..." I'm thinking aloud here. How could he be coming back? I thought he'd gotten a one-way trip to the Makai. The ass. Twin or no, he shouldn't have... used me, like that. It's wrong. 

"So you do know him! Then it's settled!" Botan clapped her hands with a weird grin on her face. For someone who feels like death warmed over to my othersenses, she sure is gratingly, annoyingly cheerful. My ears are pressed as flat to my skull as is possible. I don't want to be rude, but still. 

"Hate to ask, but what's settled?" I ask, stifling a yawn. I am so going to miss school tomorrow. I shouldn't be this damned tired... 

"You... _are_ going to join our group, right?" She looks rather puzzled. 

"I dunno. Just... go away... please?" Botan looks hurt now. Damn. I didn't mean to hurt her feelings, but things are... coming out... wrong today. Erm. Tonight. Yeah. "Sorry. I'm just a bit tired. Gimme a day or so. I'll even wake up or something. Yeah." Before I know it, I've clocked out for the night. Dead-to-the-world-ness. 

_Dearest sister, why do you run?_ It didn't. . . sound like him. . ._ You could join me. . . together, with my cunning and your power, we could easily crush the humans to our will. . . _He was. . . never this power-hungry. . ._ And all the other fools who try to oppose us. We were too young last time. . . This time, we'll do it, together. . ._ His insidious voice penetrates my deep-sleep, and I shift. 'Th' basard. . .' I crack my eyelids some- sunlight from an unfamiliar window, in an unfamiliar room, in an unfamiliar bed. . . 

Yaah!? What the?! Bed?! Y'mean I. . . wait. I'm alone, so. . . I fell asleep? Hmm. . . lessee. Wa'appen? Youkai, rip, giant demon-like-thing, mutt-face, succubi, orange-hair. Then bandage, dream. Hmm.. Dream. Strange-dream. Was weird. _'Brother? But I don't wanna planet full of baka humans, Brother-Scri'ire. I wanna be left alone. Issat so much?'_ I roll over onto my back and stare at the ceiling. 

"Finally awake? That's good. Here, have some breakfast." Botan. Miss cheerful. She's bouncy-back-ful, apparently. I didna hurt her feelings much, apparently. 

Breakfast. . . ? Oh. She brough in eggs and toast with an amazingly small portion of bacon. Doesn't she know _any_ carnivores? Predators, even? I ear the bacon first and fastest. Then the eggs, a little slower. Then I munch disdainfully at my toast. I feel so _weird_ this morning. Not to mention. . . so sleepy. The bed looks nice. But I just got up! Huh? Why am I so. . . Why so. . . err. . Tired? _"Why... avoid... me?"_ What the. . ? Where'd that thought come from?! Sommat not-right here. . . but I'm too tired to figure it out. Must use youkai-mask so I'm not fawned on and told I should stay where I am. I can't do emotionless though. Confident, I can do. Sure. Strong, too. 

"Thanks for the meal, Botan. It was very good." I'm about half-here as I say that. I'm focused inside, trying to figure something out. Why's it feel like I'm still bleeding? All my youkai strength. . . draining away. Mebbe I'm healing. The poison. That must be it. Mebbe not as weak a poison as I thought. My hand has pins and needles on it, I think. I only got nicked, though. I'll be fine. 

I rub the sleepies from my eyes and blink some. Then I stretch cat-like. I give Botan a cheery smile, get up, and deliberately use my pins-and-needles hand to start to open the door. I only swayed a little bit. So proud. 

"Oh! Your hand!" Botan asks worriedly. I barely hear her. "Doesn't it still hurt? You sliced it to the bone, you know." See? Just a little nick. Honest. I just need to change the bandage. Wait. I shoulda. . . shoulda. . umm. . oh! Healed. Right. "Besides, what if there are more youkai? Plain old demons, even? Are you sure you'll be all right?" 

I don' need cooped up, honest. Just need fresh air. Honest. I wave her off and walk all the way outside, swaying wildly a couple of times. I know the world spins fast, but it ain't supposed ta go that fast. And dark. Is it? 

Naturally, since I'm so _very_ capable of taking care of myself, I stumble and fall halfway down the stairs. That's a lotta stairs. Yeesh. It's at least noon. I can see the sun directly above me. Pretty sun. I could stay here and sunbathe all day. But I'm going out to. . . out to. . . Patrol! That's it! I wanna make sure they didna miss nothing. God, my hand hurts. Parts of me seem to be going off on their own. Like my power. I can't be healing. I'm still all bloody-handed. Ucky smell. I don' like the metal-like sugary irony bloody smell. Am I repeating myself? I shake my head to try and clear it. Whee. Spining spin-spin. The last thing I see as I black out is Botan's face looming over me. 

_Even if you won't help me, _dear_ sister. . ._ The other neko-youkai grins- I can see the malice in his eyes. He's my twin! Why does he act like that?! He's not like that, honest! _. . .I can still take what I need to finish this._ Now. . . now I know what's different. His voice. . . inside my mind, it's slimier. More insidious. And there was never that hint of poison in it. . . 

"AHHH!" My eyes shoot open as I scream a bit. Owies! Much pain! My paw! The poison, maybe? No! Brother, why? Wha? The pain just. . . stopped. Yaah! A rip-thingy now! I just can't win. And... almost all out of power. Scratch almost. 

"You shouldn't strain yourself like that, you know." The face that looms over my own is still Botan's. But it's all scolding and overprotective now. "That's a nasty poison-- it resisted my power until I got rid of _all_ of it. You could have told me you were poisoned, you know." 

I flex my claws experimentally. The one I had cut was feeling remarkably better in a new bandage. And the poison was gone. . . but my power kept leaking away. I knew why now. "B-botan? Do me. . . do me a favor?" 

"What do you want, Gwena?" Her face is now concerned, if still looming. 

"I. . . I. . . there's something I need to do. And I don't think. . . I have enough energy to do it." I yawn hugely to illustrate my point. When she nods for me to continue, I start speaking again. "I. . . have to go to the shrine. . . with the old well?" That sounded right. Could she. . . not sense the rips? Was I. . . the only one?

"You shouldn't be up and moving though!" She's sweet, but really. If I don't. . . do this. . . I might dry up and blow away like a leaf. . .

"Don' matter. Just. . . help me?" I'm surprised that she actually does grab my wrists and help me pull myself up. "Th-thank you, Botan." I swayed much more, but with her help I managed to keep myself upright.

"You're welcome, but. . . why the shrine?" She looks perplexed. "Kagome and Inuyasha," so that's mutt-face's name? "decided to go there just minutes ago. They took Shippou with them. Said it was urgent." She frowns. "This doesn't have anything to do with them, does it?"

"You mean. . . you mean you can't tell?" I blink in surprise at the sudden knowledge that we're not walking towards the shrine. . . we're flying there. . . on an oar? Botan. . . She was a ferry-girl? They've gotten prettier since when Scri'ire got taken away. . .

"Tell what?" She lands us gently and puts her hand on the doorway. I can sense the evil in there, it's pressing against me even from this distance. Not just pressing against me. . . Pressing through me? Brother. . . he must be stealing my energy, still.

"I've had enough of you, punk!" The voice, loud and angry, could only belong to mutt-face.

"We. . . have to get in there." Botan nods and opens the door silently. The scene that greets us is mutt-face with the giant sword raised, apparently about to swing it at the purplish-black rip that's lined in pink. Inside the rip, something glows darkly, the figure of something sitting in midair, knees to its chest, arms wrapped around it, and tail hanging down. I didn't want to see that figure very clearly. Not yet. Kagome holds her bow, preparing to fire at the figure in the rip. Shippou runs up to Botan, jumping into her arms with tears in his eyes.

"Weweregoingtogobackthroughthewell," he took a short, sobbing gulp of air, "butthentherewasthisripandthisbig_cat_cameoutandattackedKagomeandKagome'shurtnow,realbad," he took another gulp of air, sobbing against Botan's chest, "andI'mafraidKagome'sgoingtogethurtworseandandandandI'M SCARED!!" Shippou cried those last two words loud enough to catch all three fighters' attention-- Inuyasha literally dropped in midair, landing on the ground and growling at him. Too bad I don't get doggie-tongue, but apparently it's close enough to fox-tongue that Shippou caught whatever he said, because the kit immediately shut up. I was leaning against the door frame, watching this and sort-of covering my nose to blot out the blood-scent that Kagome eminated in waves. She really _was_ hurt.

Red eyes glow in his face, exactly where I knew they would. There were no irises and no whites, just twin fields of red with a black slit down each. "Well, well. My _dear _sister, come to face me. What a treat." My eyes narrowed some as a black line of energy passed from my chest into him, and he grinned the evil grin that had never belonged to my brother. "You don't even have enough strength to stand."

"And you're not my brother anymore." I glared at him as a larger blackish-purple stream of energy flows back into me. "Why can't you leave me alone? Why did you involve them, Scri?"

The same malicious grin appeared on his face as he glanced over at Kagome, seeming to ignore my questions as he changed the subject. "Five hundred years it's remained incomplete, hasn't it, woman?" Five hundred years? Huh? Humans. . . don't live that long. And we weren't around five hundred years ago. "Five hundred long years, the two shards have yearned to return to the whole. . . and I intend to have the whole Shikon no Tama."

**A/N: Wow. That was a rather big change. Oh. On a side note, I took this whole story down from mediaminer so I could plan it. Now, where do you think those two shards of the Shikon no Tama came from, if Kagome has the almost whole jewel?**


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